EDC from Esprit makes India debut in the capital

EDC, one of the most admired brands for youth, is all set to indulge 14-22-year-old men and women, as the brand has opened its first store at Select CityWalk, Saket, New Delhi

The brand EDC, under the umbrella of Esprit, will be retailed through its exclusive outlet and all Esprit stores. In India, the brand will be handled by Madura Garments; the latter holds exclusive distribution, marketing and retailing rights for Esprit.

Wolfram Hail, president – Asia-Pacific, Esprit, in a presentation discussed the brand’s history and philosophy. He also explained the business structure of Esprit.

Answering Indiaretailing’s query on the brand’s research and understanding of Indian consumers, Hail said: “We have partnered Madura Garments for our India operations. The company has over time acquired an irrefutable understanding of the market. Relying on Madura’s insights, we have launched the brand here. Besides, we have seen a good growth in India and the country has become a major contributor to our group’s annual turnover.”

Asked why Esprit chose Madura as its India partner, Peter Hammond, regional director, wholesale, Asia Pacific, said: “Of course, it was not an easy process. The country’s fashion and lifestyle business had started booming and there were many companies who were cashing in on this. In the first stage, we had short-listed 10-12 companies, before we settled on Madura. We had to consider many parameters – the experience, the existent portfolio, as also the financial background.”

Quizzed on the brand’s positioning dilemma due to more-or-less ad-hoc space planning for stores, Ashish Dikshit, senior executive president, Madura Garments – Lifestyle Brands, said: “Prominent and exclusive space for stores is important for positioning. We do try to find a good space and are concerned about who our neighbours are. At the same time, though,, it remains more important how we pose at the slot we are in.”

EDC showcased its fall/holiday ‘07 collection at the launch. The brand has also partnered MTV Networks International (MTVI) to sponsor Europe Music Awards 2007.

Esprit in India retails through 16 exclusive stores and 12 shop-in-shops, and is present in cities including New Delhi, Mumbai, Noida, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, Ludhiana and Pune.